


Curtain.

by amerrierworld



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Art, Art Teacher, Elementary School, F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff, Photography, Slow Burn, Smut, Theatre, like reallllyyyy slow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:00:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24325423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amerrierworld/pseuds/amerrierworld
Summary: An on-and-off job as photographer can only pay so much, so Therese Belivet has taken a job at an elementary school's art program to help pay the bills. One of her last jobs before the school year begins is photographing a preview night of a successful play where she meets the well-known artistic director of the show, Carol Ross. She forgets about their meeting until September rolls around and she starts teaching an inquisitive young six-year old by the name of Rindy.
Relationships: Carol Aird/Therese Belivet
Comments: 50
Kudos: 176





	1. Eye Candy

_June._

Therese was staring intensely at her laptop, watching as all the little photo icons from her camera began transferring over to her drive. Rain tapped gently against her windows and a can of Coke sat on her desk, half-empty. She had shut all the windows to avoid any light or outdoor distractions as she tended to daydream while looking out in the distance, but this time Therese was determined to get this job finished.

As she waited for the files to continue transferring, the brunette arched her back, yawning as her body creaked and popped from sitting for so long.

It had been three days since her lucky photography gig at the Hudson Theatre. Thinking about it still made her limbs jittery. It was a smaller theatre, but being the oldest theatre in the city and having hosted many successful shows, it was still a landmark. Therese had been overjoyed at the prospect of working inside the theatre for once and seeing all the ins and outs of the show she had been asked to document.

Her phone pinged from where she had haphazardly tossed it on her bed. She stood up and shuffled over, stretching again and giving her legs a shake as she opened a message from Dannie.

_preview done. again._

_how was it?_

_tbh a little messier than when u were there, richard kept missing his mark_

_of course he did._

_yeah ross wasn't too pleased with him..._

At the mention of the director's name, Therese's stomach lurched a bit, though she couldn't tell why. They had only exchanged a few words during the preview when she'd been there. 

_...anyways, manager wants to know how ur doing with those photos_

_workin on em right now actually_

_tsk that's too bad_

_why? did she need them now? i thought i had until next week_

_nah i was just gonna ask if u wanted to get some food and then get plastered w me and phil_

Therese snorted and looked back at her laptop, which lit up, indicating all the files had been successfully imported. Temporarily forgetting about her conversation she hurried to glance through them, immediately noticing the faulty pics that she knew she wouldn't be able to use.

Her phone rang and she picked up.

"Is that a no?" Dannie asked from the other end. Therese rolled her eyes.

"Dannie, not responding in 30 seconds does not automatically mean _no._ But yeah, I don't know if getting drunk right now is such a good idea, I have a lot to go through. Plus, don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"Preview isn't until the afternoon, Belivet. I have all morning to sober up."

Sighing, Therese flicked through a few photos, stilling as she found one of the director whose back was to the camera as she directed Gen, the lead actress, who stood off to the far side of the stage.

"Therese?"

"Hm? Yeah, for sure. I'll come for food, but I'm going home afterwards, I really don't want to be hungover. I've had three cans of Coke already, alcohol and caffeine don't mix well for me."

"Alright, sounds good."

"When do you wanna head out?"

"...now?"

At that, the intercom buzzed at Therese's front door, indicating someone was in front of the apartment building. 

"Jesus, Dannie, really?"

"I know you're always hungry, Therese. Plus, getting off the subway from work at your place is so much closer than mine. Forgive me?"

"Ugh fine, give me 20 minutes to get ready though. I don't care if you're stuck in the rain outside. That's what happens when you constantly drag me out for last minute plans."

"Yeah, yeah, Belivet, just hurry your ass up. We're not going anywhere fancy cause God knows I don't get paid enough to afford anything like that."

"Is Richard coming?" Therese asked, brow furrowing in a split second of worry.

"Him? Nah. I actually think he somehow managed to lure Gen into a date tonight. I saw them talking after the show."

"Oof, poor girl."

"Yeah, maybe I should warn her, y'know. Get her out while she still can."

"Terrible idea, McElroy. You know how actresses are with stage hands."

Dannie barked out a laugh. "Shut the fuck up, Belivet. You're one to talk, considering you were ogling the _director_ the _entire night."_

"I was _not."_

"Yeah you were. Now get going, or I'm gonna melt in this downpour."

Therese smiled and ended the call, closing her laptop and hurrying to put on some decent clothes before meeting Dannie outside.

* * *

"C'mon Terry, not even one shot? As a celebratory drink for this job and the next."

" _No,_ Phil," Therese laughed. "I already told Dannie, I have work to do later."

"Alright, suit yourself, but that means I'm gonna drink _extra_ just to make up for you!"

After having grabbed a bite at a cheap Thai restaurant, the McElroy brothers had dragged Therese to their usual bar even though she was still determined to stay sober.

"Do you even know how to deal with _kids,_ Therese? Elementary school can be vicious, y'know," Dannie said, sipping his beer as he ignored Phil stumbling from his seat to order another drink.

"It's only part-time, Dan," Therese shrugged. "Plus, what kid doesn't like art? If one of them throws a temper, I'll just let him go ham on a canvas with some paint, no big deal. It's therapeutic that way."

"How'd you manage to get a job there anyway?"

"Well, their usual art teacher had to take a break for a year 'cause of an injury, so I'm just filling in for the younger grades. They were desperate for more staff for their programs."

"Jeez, is that allowed? You've barely worked with kids until now."

"I dunno. I did a full police check and stuff, besides I'm not hired for the school, just the programs afterwards so I'm not _technically_ a teacher. But it's a small school with a shit ton of younger kids that often need an after-school program. Chances are they won't even need me in the New Year if the other teacher comes back."

"So they just really need extra hands on deck?" Dannie concluded and Therese nodded. Phil came staggering back with a glass of water, grouchy and mumbling something about the bartender not letting him have another.

"Yeah. What about you though? What's happening after _Woolf?"_

Danni sighed and slumped back in his seat. "Who knows at this point? Ross is taking a break too, from being artistic director-,"

"Wait, _really?_ She's not retiring is she?"

Dannie smirked at Therese but ignored her sudden eagerness in the conversation.

"Nah, just something about needing to be home with her family. She's worked her butt off for the theatre more than anyone, so it makes sense she wants a break for a little while after this show's done. But she'll probably be back in no time, cause she's like that. In the mean time, Gerhard is taking over. I don't know what she has up her sleeve yet, but I'm thinking a typical Christmas show is coming up."

"Any idea what it might be?"

"Nope. Everyone's talking and wanting to do _A Christmas Carol_ but it's been so overdone, and Abby's always doing unexpected things."

"Damn, I wonder what it could be," Therese chewed her lip in thought.

"You sure you're not just upset at the idea of Ross not working there anymore?" Dannie teased. Therese smacked his arm.

" _Dannie,"_ she scolded.

"What! Even a blind person could see she's literal eye candy, though she can be a tough boss. I'm not blaming you for liking her, but I _am_ telling you that she's not as sweet as she looks."

"Hmph, whatever. She's probably got someone anyways, if she's taking a break with family."

"I dunno, Belivet, I've never noticed a wedding ring." He winked at her.

"God, you're the _worst_ y'know?" Therese sighed, though her eyes were twinkling. "I never should have come out to you when all you do is tease me about every girl who I just _happen_ to find kinda cute."

Dannie grinned. "That's what you get for being besties with the McElroys, Belivet. Besides, since Phil doesn't like girls, who am I supposed to go to when _I_ get lady problems?"

Therese shook her head and chuckled before checking her watch.

"Damn, it's getting late. Alright boys, I'm going home. I really need to work on those photos. Don't drink yourselves to death, please?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Belivet!"

She grabbed her purse before going to hail a cab as Phil and Dannie waved goodbye, her mind whirling with thoughts of the intriguing blonde director. Therese wondered who she was, besides the 'literal eye candy' that she'd managed to capture on camera. Sighing, Therese shook her from her mind during the brief cab ride home, deciding it was best to leave her daydreaming behind for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thanks for stopping by <3 This is my contribution to the age-old Carol/Therese tale.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! I've got a pretty solid plot going, though it'll be a while before our two leading ladies end up interacting properly ;)
> 
> Shameless plug: I hang out a lot on tumblr and post my fanfic there as well so come say hi if you want to :3


	2. Summer Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Therese celebrates closing night with Dannie and the cast; trying to calm her nerves over the upcoming school year. Unbeknownst to her, a certain blonde director is going through the exact same motions at the other side of the restaurant.

_June - three days earlier_

_"We need to have any photos before the start of the run, so you have until next week to finish them. Can you do that?"_

_"Of course, Miss Gerhard."_

_"Oh, please, call me Abby. Dannie did say you were too polite for your own good. I don't bite, you know."_

_Therese blushed and glanced down, fiddling with the buttons on her camera as Abby led her backstage. The stage manager gave her a quick tour, and Therese scanned the premises, looking for the best angles to see the stage from the wings. The seats were empty and the lights were dim, focusing on the minimalistic set of a living room as the backdrop of the show._

_"Anyways, it's an early preview so there'll probably be loads of kinks to work through as the show progresses tonight, and knowing our director, she'll probably pause the show a lot. You have free range of backstage and the seats to do as you please. The last photographer we worked with during rehearsal only showed up with blurry photos, which sent the PR team into a fit."_

_Therese was testing out her camera on stage, moving from the wings to the front seats as Abby gestured around. There were few workers around, cleaning and preparing for the preview of the theatre's production of_ Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 

_"So! All we're asking for is some good photos of our lovely actors, the stage, and whatever tickles your fancy. It's a small show and we need all the promotion we can get," Abby continued. Therese nodded, chewing the inside of her cheek as she glanced around the theatre, taking note of the lights and seats._

_After agreeing on her deadline and payment, Abby was typing in her theatre contact in Therese's phone in case anything came up, and the young photographer was quick to hurry out of the theatre, bustling with excitement for her job later that day._

* * *

_August_

"Cheers to _finally_ being done!" Dannie exclaimed dramatically, popping open the bottle of champagne.

"Oh, stop it Dannie! I've been crying since the curtain call," Gen scolded him, whacking his arm with her purse. The actress was dressed impeccably, a silk silver dress draped around her voluptuous frame like she came straight from the silver screen. Therese felt inadequate with her simple green turtleneck and black dress pants.

"Seriously though folks. Congratulations on an incredible run," Dannie said. "I _almost_ cried this time around. Almost."

"You sound just like old bat Gerhard, y'know," Richard stepped in, who was sitting across from Therese with a wide, arrogant posture and his arm slung over Gen's shoulders possessively. "I swear that lady has a stick the size of a tree trunk up her fuckin ass."

"Maybe she wouldn't be so uptight if someone just hit his marks," Gen said coldly. Richard's gaze darkened considerably, but all Gen did was sip her champagne, flicking auburn hair over her shoulder in that celebrity-style manner that Therese couldn't help but admire.

From what Dannie had told her, Gen and Richard had been on and off during the show, creating tension left and right. A classic backstage romance filled with just as much drama as the show they were in. Apparently it helped the actual tension needed during the performance, though that was really the only thing it was good for. 

Closing night had been a huge success either way. Critics had raved about their electric performances, tiny hiccups going unnoticed by the audience. Therese was overjoyed to see her images in papers, on posters and on the theatre's website, her name printed in the corners of the photos. Gen had asked Dannie to bring Therese to their small celebration at the restaurant they were sitting in. She desperately wanted more female companionship after being surrounded by the likes of Dannie and Richard.

"Speaking of the fucking devil," Dannie commented, nodding his head to the front door of the small restaurant. Therese turned and caught the sight of Ms. Gerhard - _no, Abby,_ she corrected herself- wearing a stunning jumpsuit. On her arm was a tall, familiar blonde beauty and Therese sucked in a breath as time slowed down for her while watching the two walk in. 

Director Ross was dressed in a timeless black suit, bowtie and high heels, hair swept up in a sleek hairdo. The way they walked together was like watching power and confidence personified in the two women. 

Therese took a sip of her water to help the blush that she felt creeping up her neck.

"Ah, shit, no way, why they gotta go out for dinner the same place we are?" Richard grumbled. "I really don't want to talk to them."

"Nonsense! They deserve just as much praise as we do," Gen snapped. She stood up from her seat and waved at Abby, who caught sight of the actress easily. Gen always had a way of commanding the room whenever she felt like it.

Therese felt her excitement plummet as she noted that only Abby was approaching their table. The blonde stayed back in their booth, shrugging off her blazer, revealing a crisp white button down that made Therese squirm.

"Fancy seeing you lot here," Abby said, leaning on their table. "Celebrating, I assume?"

Dannie held up the champagne and grinned. "You got that right, boss."

Therese kept her eyes fixed on her glass, afraid that by looking at Abby her gaze would give her away. Were the two a couple? No, of course not. They were coworkers. Nothing more, right?

"Well I saw Gen and just wanted to come over and congratulate you guys. It was a terrific run, despite everything," with a pointed look at Richard, "so you deserve a well-earned night out."

The other three all responded to Abby with some sort of thanks and Therese forced herself to look up at her and smile. Her eyes were met steadily by the brunette, and though the gaze was firm, Abby smiled nonetheless.

"Good to see you again, Therese. A wonderful job on those photos, by the way."

Therese smiled, beaming proudly. "It was an honour, Abby."

 _What the fuck? An honour? Am I even saying coherent things?_ Therese tried to keep herself nonchalant and cool, though a prickling sensation on the back of her neck made her flustered. She looked around and found a pair of deep blue eyes staring back at her from the booth across the restaurant. Ross was looking at her intently, fingers grasping a martini glass. Therese felt her mouth go dry.

"I best get back, enjoy your night," Abby said and with that walked away. Therese lost contact with the blonde's eyes as Abby got back to their booth, their sudden and immediate chemistry forgotten. 

Reminding herself to breathe, she tried tuning into Dannie arguing with Richard over some theatre related technicality, and she was filled with the sudden and desperate urge to abandon the three and run over to Abby and the director to hide away, just to get to know this _Ross_ lady better. 

"But hey, Terry, you're gonna come back to the theatre soon right? With your pictures and all that?" Richard's annoying voice brought her back to reality.

"Oh, I don't know," she shifted uncomfortably. "I've got a different job starting next week, so photography might be on hold for me for a while." 

She chewed her lip, not wanting to say anything else. She had nothing against Dannie or Gen, but after her and Richard had broken up she tried to avoid talking to him as much as possible. In group settings, she was fine, and with their intimate circle of friends it was hard to avoid him so she didn't mind putting up with him.

But no, this job was _hers._ Not Richard's, Dannie's, Gen's. It was a step into a different direction for herself. And even though she told herself it was more for the pay, she couldn't help but be excited about the kids she was going to meet. 

Dannie shifted the conversation to some lewd story from a theatre when he had been just starting out and Therese felt she could breathe again. 

* * *

"Who is that girl sitting next to Dannie?"

"Therese? Oh, she was the photographer we had in just before the run, don't you remember?"

"Hmm right. I thought she seemed familiar," Carol sipped her martini slowly, eyes darting over to the petite brunette again.

"Stop it," Abby scolded.

"Stop what? I'm just getting a good look. It's been a long time since I've seen her."

"Whatever you're thinking of, Ross, you better cap it. I'll have you know she's a terrific photographer and I want to hire her again, though I won't be able to do that if my artistic director decides to... _involve_ herself."

Carol smirked but backed down, leaning back against the seat and glancing out at the dark street, illuminated by hazy lights dancing in the fog that had spread over the city. 

"You all set for September?" Abby asked. Carol's smile disappeared, her fantasies of the brunette forgotten as she looked at the year ahead.

"I have no idea, Abby. I haven't had Rindy for a full month since, well, since this whole mess started. Plus it's the beginning of the school year for her, you know how anxious that can make her."

"And you. You're always a mess when those things start up."

"Hush. At least the first week is cleared up for me, I can relax and take Rindy to school, pick her up, make her meals..."

Carol drifted off again in her non-working, stay at home mom dream that was finally happening in just over a week. Her and her daughter together without a show, without court, without fights... Bliss, she thought.

"You haven't forgotten our meeting with Jeanette though, right?" Abby asked cautiously, brows furrowing. Carol's head snapped up. 

"What?"

"The meeting to finalize that you're stepping away from the theatre? C'mon, Carol."

"Oh, god, I'm so sorry Abs. I genuinely forgot." Carol whipped out her phone and hastily looked up the email Jeanette sent them. _Wednesday. 3pm._ At the exact time she was meant to pick up Rindy, she'd be on the other side of the city.

"Fuck," Carol groaned. "I guess I gotta get a sitter for Rindy then." God, she couldn't _wait_ to be done work. 

"Do they not have an after school program at Rindy's school? Just let her hang out there and we'll pick her up once we're done. It won't be more than an hour, Carol, I don't know if it's worth getting a sitter."

"No, you're right. I'll call them tomorrow and see what they can do," Carol sighed, putting her phone away.

Suddenly feeling the urge to check, she glanced over at the party from across the room, trying to catch a glimpse of the photographer again. She was disappointed to see that only Gen and Richard were left, who were at it with their usual banter at their table while eating. Dannie and Therese had disappeared.

" _Carol,"_ Abby warned. 

"I know, I know. Sorry." Carol forced herself back to the conversation. "I'm hopeless, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are, you nitwit."


	3. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Therese prepares for her first day.

"Hey, T, you alright?" Dannie said as they got back to Therese's place. He leaned against the wall as she struggled to get her keys out.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, ya seemed a bit distracted during dinner. Did something happen? Was it Richard?"

Therese hesitated in answering as her hand halted on the door knob. Sure, Richard was always a pain in her ass. Their respective jobs kept them apart, thank God, but Therese was never the keenest on keeping exes in her circle of friends. In this case she had no choice. 

"Yeah, kind of. I mean, he's always been a misogynistic asshole, don't you think? I can only handle him for so long at any given time," Therese said, breezing inside with an air of nonchalance. Dannie wasn't having any of it as he followed her. 

"Or was it a certain blonde boss that was keeping you from enjoying the night?" he asked as he followed her up the stairs.

"Shut up, Dannie," Therese quipped back without looking at him. "I'm stressed, alright? You might get a bit of a break now that the show's done, but I've got a new job coming up and that shit's never easy."

"Right, sorry, T, I didn't mean to upset you."

Therese sighed as they got to her door, turning to face him. "No, it's okay. I'm being weird, I know. It's just... well, sometimes I get confused, y'know? Like I just don't know what I want, and I get swept up in all these things and people around me, and I can't say no to any of it. Now what am I doing? I'm barely out, and barely paying my rent, and not doing the jobs I originally wanted to do. I never planned to be an art teacher of any kind. And it all just piles up."

She was staring at the ground, brows furrowed as she thought things through. Though she wouldn't tell Dannie the real aggressor of her overloaded thoughts was in fact the director, it was the only thing truly on her mind. She hadn't looked at anyone properly or found anyone as attractive as the blonde woman who she didn't even know the first name of. It scared her. 

Two strong arms wrapped around Therese firmly and Dannie hugged her during her brief ruminating session. 

"I can't imagine what it's like, T," he said, his chin on her hair. "I know it's probably tough, Phil's had a hell of a ride with figuring himself out and that took a toll on him. You've had it almost worse in my opinion, cause it took being with a _shithead_ like Richard-"

Therese snorted.

"... to make you realize that you deserve more, and better."

"Being gay is the best thing in the world," Therese sighed. "But also the worst. No girls I look at ever know what they want. Or what they like. Or they're just experimenting. And, you know, homophobia..."

"Ignorance."

"Hate."

"Yeah, but girls."

"Yeah. Girls," Therese cracked a smile and Dannie did too. He bumped her arm playfully and she opened her apartment door.

"You wanna come inside for a drink?"

"Nah, I better head home. Phil's probably done his shift so I gotta make sure he eats at least something other than Redbull before he crashes on the bed."

"Gotcha."

"Let me know if you need anything, okay? I'm just a call away."

"I know, Dannie. Thank you."

"Goodnight T, have some sweet... _blonde_... dreams!"

Therese tried to swing her purse at him but missed as her best friend went cackling down the stairs.

* * *

_September - before the first day_

"Oh, Miss Belivet, is it?" asked the elderly lady at the front desk. Therese nodded, pulling at her skirt, her bag swung over her shoulder as she stood by the reception desk of the school- _her_ new school.

She'd been working tirelessly the past week to really get herself in order. She even had a plan for the kids; _themes_ accompanied with the crafts, and _lessons_ in the art they were doing, not just mindless cutting and glueing. God, she definitely wasn't getting paid enough for this. Therese hoped her work would at least be appreciated.

"I was called to see the school today with Mrs... Robichek, I think it was?"

"Yes, you're right, I'll just page her down."

Therese waited by the receptionist, wandering a bit as she took in the school's architecture. Despite its clear technological advances of the relatively up-to-date phones, computers and printers, the school itself still had an old architectural feel to it, like something out of the 50s. The floors had a horrendous tiled pattern and the walls' pale green colours had faded into something ghastly. 

Shuffling caught her attention and Therese turned to see a small, old lady with thick framed glasses in the doorway of the office. Though she looked just as ghastly as the school's design, she had a peppy smile on her face.

"Welcome, Theresa," she began. Therese's own smile faltered a little but she couldn't be bothered to correct her new colleague. Robichek, or Ruby as she introduced herself, gave Therese a tour of the small but well-regarded school.

"Now, you've got it easy, Theresa dear. You'll just need to be here everyday after school, no need for those 8am calls! Hah!"

Therese zoned out a bit as she watched the janitors and teachers bustle about the school, preparing for the new year and welcoming all the kids. Teachers with boxes filled with notebooks and markers. Desks being shuffled around and moved. The janitors cleaning the windows and floors thoroughly, making the tiles shine so brightly it gave Therese a headache.

"Here we are," Ruby suddenly piped up, entering a small classroom. Therese did a full turn once inside, noting the sink at the back of the room, _handy,_ she thought. A selection of about 20 seemingly unused easels were propped up against the far wall, making Therese's hands itch with excitement.

"Now, usually this is Mr. Tucker's classroom. After 3pm, you've got it for yourself. You won't be allowed to move or touch his desk, but do whatever you like with the rest of the set up, as long as you move it back at the end of the day."

"What does Mr. Tucker teach?"

"Hm? Oh, during the school day he teaches the eighth graders, mainly. He's also coach and teaches gym, so he barely uses this room for his own things; that's what the gym office is for." 

Therese wandered around the room for a bit, wondering if she was invading someone's space by being here. But no, she was only playing babysitter for kids after school. Administration insisted it still needed a curricular focus, according to Ruby, that's why they wanted an art-focused program rather than just letting kids waste their time for an hour or two. 

"Between you and me, I think they're also doing it so they can cut some of the art funding during the regular day. This is technically outside of school hours so they don't have to worry about it, but they still count it as the curriculum being met," Ruby scoffed. Therese hummed in response, knowing how little arts were appreciated in schools nowadays, especially for younger years.

"Well, I think that's it, my dear! There's room in the teacher's lounge for your things once you start tomorrow. You needn't worry about taking up anyone's space, so do what you like."

"Thank you, Mrs. Robichek."

"Not a problem."

"Can I ask one question though? Where are all the art supplies?"

"Ah, that. Well. You see, I'm afraid this is as much as you're gonna get. It's an _art club,_ Miss Belivet. The school board isn't going to be buying supplies for you."

With that, Mrs. Robichek walked out, leaving Therese to her own devices. She wandered about, checking the drawers in the cabinets and by the sink. A box of broken crayons and old Crayola markers was all she found. Some scissors, half a pack of construction paper, a couple glue sticks... The only real asset were the easels at the back of the room. Someone probably funded those with good intention, but no one seemed interested to use them properly. 

As she crouched by the sink, rummaging through the last few piles of flimsy paper and boxes, the door opened. In walked a beanpole of a man- thin glasses framing his beady eyes. He was dressed in a suit that seemed to hang off of his body, old and boring in every way. He had a box in hand that he set on the desk before noticing Therese at the other end of the room.

"Who are you?" he asked immediately. This, Therese assumed, was Mr. Tucker.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Tucker. I'm Therese Belivet, I'm-,"

"The new art teacher, yes I know. I suppose we're sharing this classroom for the year, hm?"

Therese nodded bleakly as she got up, a forgotten glue stick in hand.

"I'll have you know I have a very strict way with my things, Miss Belivet. I will not allow you to move anything off of my desk. This need for _art after school_ nonsense is ridiculous in my opinion, but I will mostly be in my separate office by the gym. Do what you like with those things," he nodded to the easels, "but don't make a mess of my classroom."

Therese was stumped by the man's arrogance and haughty behaviour so she clasped her hands in front of her instinctively, like she was a student back at boarding school. "Of course, sir."

He gave her a pointed look, not moving from his spot. Understanding the cue, Therese hurried out the classroom as fast as her feet would carry her.

 _God, what a weasel of a man,_ she thought, taking a breather as she headed back to the main office. She wouldn't be needed until 3pm the next day, which opened up her mornings nicely. She waved goodbye to the receptionist, who she learned was named Patricia, and walked out in the late summer evening air. 

Therese hurried to get a cab, texting Dannie on her way back to her apartment.

_met 3 new colleagues today. 1/3 was actually bearable_

Dannie replied within a few minutes.

_no shit, eh? what are they like?_

_receptionist is nice, does her job and didn't ask any questions. this one other lady teacher seems to be like everyone's overbearing grandma (good thing she teaches kindergarten i guess??) oh and the last guy seems like a total creep- really uptight_

_what does he teach?_

_gym. he's the coach of whatever teams they can even have here. it's such a small school._

_damn, he's not ripped is he? if he creeps you again i could take him down, maybe._

_lol nah he's a stick more than anything. doesn't seem to like me, or art for that matter. i have to share a classroom with him._

_bummer. maybe paint the walls a sick fluorescent magenta? that might send him a message. kids would enjoy it too_

Therese snorted at her phone, though the message gave her an idea. She hastily sent a reply to Dannie before directing the cab to the nearest art supply store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely responses to chapter 1 and 2. I was stumped for a little while but I'm back now, and hopefully I can continue writing and posting this regularly (though no promises; life is crazy). Our two leading ladies aren't meeting yet, but I promise it'll be worth the wait when they do <3


	4. Ross v. Aird (round 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carol's perspective in prepping for the first day.

_September - just before the first day._

"Yes, _yes._ I know, Harge. I'm her mother for God's sake, I'm not going to forget anything," Carol grumbled into the phone as she grabbed the last of Rindy's bags from the back of the car. 

"Well you better make sure she gets everything she needs, Carol," her ex-husband responded gruffly. "I want her to do well in school."

"Harge, it's first grade. What _dire needs_ would a six-year old have to have? It's not like she's learning calculus _."_

"Listen, I don't want to have a tantrum-prone child at my house in a month because _you_ decide not to discipline her with the school. They like me over there, you know."

"Yes, you've told me _many_ times, Harge. Just because you have the money to fund that school and make them all lovey-dovey for your spare change does not mean we _normal_ people have money coming out our asses."

"Watch it, Ross. It's still my name in the registration."

Carol pursed her lips, forming a foul expression but deciding not to snap back.

"Anyway, I want her in at least one team. They're very disciplined with their physical education, it'll do Rindy some good."

"What? You can't be serious, Harge. She's too young to be participating with any rigorous sports-"

"And _I_ said she was too young to make her suffer through her parent's divorce, but here we are."

Carol sighed as she closed the car and headed up the steps to the house. "I can't promise anything. When Rindy wants something from that school, she gets it, fine. But if it's not sports, that's just too bad. So don't come blaming me if she wants to play in the band or some crap, okay?"

"Fine."

"I'll bring her over on the last Friday of the month, like we agreed."

"Thank you, Carol." His voice was cold and monotone and Carol summoned all her will power not to throw her phone against the brick wall. She hung up before he could say anything else and pushed through the front door.

"Mommy!" A squeal of delight sounded from the living room as her daughter came bounding towards her. Notorious wine-aunt and babysitter Abigail Gerhard followed closely behind.

"There you are, nitwit. Rindy was beginning to think her mom had been kidnapped."

"Oh nonsense," Carol said, crouching down to pick up her daughter, whose wispy blonde curls were sticking out everywhere. "I've got the last bits of your stuff, sweet pea. Now we can properly arrange your new room."

"Yay!"

"I best get going, Carol. I got you some of those bath salts you really like, I figured you might need some, plus they were on sale, so I had to."

"You're the best, Abby, I can't thank you enough."

Carol gave her best friend a quick peck on the cheek as she passed by her to the front door.

"Good luck with school, kiddo," she ruffled Rindy's hair and gave Carol one last squeeze on her shoulder before exiting the house. 

Rindy snuggled in tightly against Carol and her heart felt like it was about to burst. She wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter, kissing the top of her head and letting out a sigh of relief. The bags could wait, she thought.

"It's far too quiet here without Aunt Abby, don't you think? Let's put on some music and I'll make us some dinner."

"Can we listen to Frozen, momma?"

"Of course, sweet pea."

* * *

After chicken nuggets and a desperate attempt to make Rindy eat some broccoli, her daughter lay tuckered out on Carol's lap, who was watching the news rather than _Coco_ for the fifteenth time. Her legs were stiff but she dared not move from her spot. Rindy had flailed around and danced to endless Disney songs, forcing her mom to dance with her in the kitchen while making dinner.

Now, it was getting late and the way her eyes were straining against the bright TV made Carol realize it was probably time for her to go to bed as well. Eventually she relented and got up, cradling Rindy carefully as to not wake her up before heading to her new bedroom. The bed had been made and Rindy's fairy lights were strung up, but there were still loads of boxes meant to be gone through. The walls were a soft lavender shade with butterfly decorations everywhere; on the walls, lamps and closet door.

Carol tucked her daughter into bed and wished her a quiet good night before turning the lights out and leaving. She left the door open a crack like she always did and headed to her own bedroom, which seemed much darker and lonelier compared to the toddler's dreamy childhood bedroom. 

Carol debated a hot bath to help her relax but decided against it for the sake of sleep. She threw on an old shirt and a pair of boxer briefs to sleep in and crawled to the middle of the large bed, surrounding herself with the thick duvet and ample pillows. The air conditioning made it extra cold in her room and she felt herself trying to get to sleep, but her brain was too preoccupied to let her body shut down. 

Carol grabbed her phone, intending to call Abby but remembered that she had a date that evening, which is why she had left so hurriedly. Abby was most definitely already occupied at this time. 

Instead, she went to the school's online directory. The title _Frankenberg Elementary_ came up and Carol scrolled through the names of teachers, wanting to remember as many as possible.

Carol and Harge had been huge influences on the school since Rindy started going there. Harge spared no expense in funding many of the school's programs, and consequently gaining immunity for their daughter through power play. Though the thought of it made Carol squirm with guilt, she knew at least now Rindy wouldn't be treated unfairly by the system. Other kids, not so much.

She went straight to the phys-ed tab and up came _T. Tucker._ Carol sighed, knowing she'd have to face him for another year. Him and Harge had got on swimmingly from the beginning, but Carol had never really enjoyed his company or comments. His female counter part; Mrs. Morgan who taught phys-ed to younger years found him just as insufferable, as she had noted at several PTA meetings. 

She went through the regular listings, noting that Robichek was teaching kindergarten again, and thanking heaven that she didn't have to deal with the elderly woman again now that Rindy was out of kindergarten. 

A new subheading under _Subjects_ caught Carol's eye; _Art._ She didn't remember there being a distinct art teacher before; usually it was just doodle or craft assignments assigned by regular teachers. 

She clicked.

One name came up.

_T. Belivet_

Carol blinked at her screen, her eyelids heavy, and frowned. Surely it wasn't the same girl as the shy, petite brunette who had taken photo after photo of Carol which she had pretended not to see? The name seemed too familiar... but what were the chances the girl would be teaching at Rindy's school? Carol scoffed at her own imagined fantasy. It was ridiculous. Abby was right; she ought to get on the dating scene again instead of these desperate fantasies and daydreams.

There was no picture. For all she knew, it could be a relative. If Abby wanted to hire Therese again for the Christmas show, surely she wouldn't have started teaching at a kids' school?

Carol shut off her phone and groaned a little at the ache behind her eyes. It wasn't worth worrying about things that probably meant nothing. She turned over on her side, and curled into a protective ball, determined to get some sleep and give Rindy the best first day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bear with me as we get to the romance! I love drawing things out. I mainly do this because I want to settle both Therese and Carol with their respective characteristics and developments before throwing them at each other >:) Once I start writing about the two of them, that will be the main focus, so I'm taking this time to introduce you to their worlds and other characters that will be a part of the story as we go on.  
> I'm posting these new chapters quicker than I had planned for the sake of speeding up the timeline for you lovely readers, but not speeding up the writing. It's more fun that way, so here's a little chapter with some Carol POV for you.


	5. Gravitational Pull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day.

_The first day._

Carol jolted awake to the sound of her bedroom door slamming open. She was burrowed deep under the covers, enjoying the warmth when a tiny mass suddenly hurled itself onto the bed.

"Mommy! You have to get up! It's first day!"

Carol groaned as Rindy pulled the covers off her face. It was barely 6am, according to the clock. Rindy didn't start until 9. 

"Nerinda, it is _far_ too early to be up."

"But we have to get ready. You always take foreverrr."

Carol gasped in feigned offense, grabbing Rindy and burying the two of them under the covers. Rindy giggled as Carol squeezed her tightly.

"Mommy! It's breakfast time we have to get _up!!"_

Carol shut her eyes tightly, moving her head away from Rindy's fingers as they tried to pry her eyelids open.

"Mommy's not here, she's sleeping, come back later," she said in a robot voice. 

" _Mom!"_ Rindy yelled, exasperated but still giggling. She wiggled her way out of the nest of blankets and jumped off the bed to turn on the lights. Carol sighed and rubbed her eyes, knowing there was no other option but to admit defeat. A part of her, though exhausted, was somewhat pleased with Rindy getting her up so early. It meant a slow morning.

"Do you want pancakes?"

"Pancakes! But that's a weekend breakfast?!" Usually they had toast or cereal. Pancakes were saved for lazy days, but Carol was feeling just as giddy. To hell with it, pancakes on the first day. Why not?

"Shh, Rindy. Don't tell anyone," Carol winked, sending the six year old into a fit of jittery giggles, _again._ Carol could get used to that sound, even at 6 in the morning. 

She threw on a robe and let Rindy pull her down the stairs to the kitchen. Pancakes were easy to whip up, and soon Rindy was munching away happily on the pancakes, while Carol calmly sipped a cup of coffee.

"Are you excited for school today?"

"Mhm!" Rindy said around a mouthful. 

"I'm glad to hear it, dear," Carol said, smiling. "I'll be there to pick you up at three."

"Mkah," she mumbled with her mouth stuffed. 

"Don't speak with your mouthful, Nerinda, alright?"

Her daughter nodded, and soon she was dressed, bouncing with excitement and flailing on Carol's bed as Carol got dressed herself, slowly. At this rate, Rindy would be out cold by the time lunch rolled around. 

Carol pulled up in the parking lot of the elementary school around 8:45, and ushered Rindy out the car, holding her hand as she led her six-year old through the familiar halls of the school. She greeted Robichek with a kind wave as she passed the kindergarten classes, and made her way to Rindy's new Grade 1 classroom.

It was decked out with colourful shapes of cut out paper decorating the wall, posters of their ABCs, numbers, and a list of classroom rules at the front by the chalkboard.

Every desk had a name tag, and Rindy quickly found hers, close to the front. Her daughter settled in, legs tapping against the floor. There were only one or two other students seated already.

"Oh, Carol! How wonderful," a kind voice spoke from the doorway. There stood Mrs. Morgan, who had donned some business casual clothes rather than the usual tracksuit.

"Claire, it's nice to see you," Carol said, greeting the gym teacher with a polite hug. "Rindy's been incredibly excited to have class with you this year."

"That's wonderful to hear," the redhead beamed, smiling at Rindy who giggled in her seat. "I'm excited to teach these first graders more than just jumping jacks. It'll be a nice change."

"Harge and I've been thinking the same thing," Carol said, as more kids came into the room with parents waving hasty and tear-filled good-byes. 

"Oh, and how is Mr. Aird these days?"

 _Beats me. "_ Oh, he's doing quite well. By the way, I've been meaning to check, I've signed Rindy on for an after class program this week, just for Wednesday because I can't pick her up on time, you see. We assumed it was phys ed at first, but-"

"Nope, none of those teams have been filled out yet. When we do, I'll make sure to get Rindy to sign up. But right now there's nothing for gym after school. It's probably that new art program we've got."

"Right," something in Carol's chest leaped. "Art."

After a quick goodbye, Carol headed out of the school, saying hi to a few familiar staff along the way and stopping to check in with the front desk about Rindy's registration for the program. Rindy's name was on the list, but could come and go whenever Carol or Harge wanted her to. There was no credit or reward attached to attending consistently, much to her relief. She'd rather prefer to keep Rindy with her when she could. 

A flash of a brunette in green caught her eye just as the bell rang while she stood in the front foyer. A lithe figure had turned the corner into one of the smaller hallways, carrying boxes and just a little too out of sight for Carol to identify her. 

The bumbling of small footsteps racing across the school to find classes made her come back to reality. She wrung her hands together and shook her head, committing herself to removing the silly fantasy of the dainty photographer as she headed out to her car.

* * *

At the request of Mrs. Robichek, Therese had arrived early to help set things up and settle in the new kids. She carried boxes, shuffled desks and got to be friendly with all the new teachers who noticed her working and said a friendly hello. Mr. Tucker avoided her ardently, and she didn't mind.

"You must be the new art teacher," A small redheaded woman came up to her, and Therese smiled. _Hardly a teacher but okay._

 _"_ Sure am, Therese Belivet," she introduced herself. The handshake was firm and polite, one shake.

"I'm Claire Morgan, I teach gym to the younger tyrants around here, and Grade 1 this year," she said. _Thank god,_ thought Therese. She seemed a lot more approachable than Tucker did. 

"Nice to meet you," Therese nodded. 

"So, you think you're ready for the school year to kick you in the butt? That's how it was with me when I first started."

"Oh, sure. I'm hardly a teacher compared to you all, I just need to babysit the stragglers after school," Therese chuckled, shaking her head. 

"Nonsense, Miss B. You are most definitely a part of the staff now." Mrs. Morgan leaned in closer. "Plus, I heard you have to share Tucker's classroom. You've got everyone on your side because that shit's not easy."

Therese blinked and smiled at the woman's humorous quips, _Miss B. I like that._

 _"_ But anyways, welcome to the team, Therese! I'm assuming you're not sticking around during the day?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't. I'll go home for a bit and prep, and then come back near 3:00. Mr Tucker doesn't seem to like it when I'm around him, so I'll wait until the last possible second to get in."

"Good plan," and then the woman was off, ushering some older kids to get to class. Therese smiled; she could get used to this.

* * *

There were meant to be 20 kids registered for 'after-school art', but only 11 showed up on the first day. Therese clutched her clipboard as she went through attendance. The remaining 9 all had little _P's_ in the row of their names; their parents had signed them out and picked them up at the regular times. 

"Hello everyone," Therese began, feeling a surge of confidence as the classroom quieted and seemed to be attentive. She wrote _Miss Belivet_ on the chalkboard in quick cursive and introduced herself.

"I'm Miss Belivet, but you can call me Miss B. I'll be teaching you art during this program; everyday we'll have a new activity or craft, and you can participate as much as you want to."

That seemed to land nicely. There were a few older grade students who seemed hesitant and bored to be there but had no other choice. So, Therese pulled up an empty desk to the front of the room and set one of her new supply boxes on top; revealing new sets of brushes, acrylic paints, and paper. 

The kids almost immediately shot up and crowded around the box; exclaiming in awe at the brand-new professional-looking boxes and tools, which they clearly hadn't seen during all their time in elementary school, since majority of this was cheaper, discounted things that Therese had to afford.

"Ah, ah! Back to your seats," Therese scolded, shooing them away. "First some ground rules; these are important supplies, they're new. So, obviously, I'd ask all of you to be extra careful with them, not lose any pieces, and always tell me if you break one of them, okay?"

Eager faces nodded and Therese beamed, her heart fluttering with nerves and excitement. 

"First day; we're going to make folders to keep _all_ your artworks in one place. You can pick whatever paper and colour or paint the cover however you feel. But we'll also make sure to put your name on it, sound good?"

She let the older grades show the younger kids how to use scissors and glue, and as the kids settled in with their own crafts, -pencil crayons already flailing everywhere- she pulled out an old sketchbook of her own. She hadn't touched it since her college days, but seeing the children draw and paint to their delight gave her enough inspiration to start again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I felt so bad about leaving this story for so long, I decided to post 5 and 6 at the same time; i hope you guys like it so far, and yes, Carol and Therese will finally meet in the next chapter ;)


	6. Collision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wednesday; Therese meets a new student of hers, and her mother.

_Wednesday. 3pm_

There were 16 students today, Therese noted, and it thrilled her. She'd attempted to find a spot to put some of the kids' artwork on display, but alas, Tucker would probably have her head for it. 

As everyone got settled in, most kids familiar with each other and the room now, Therese saw a small blonde girl lingering in the doorway. She was wearing overalls and a soft pink shirt underneath and eyeing the room nervously. 

"Hi there," she said politely. "Are you here for art club?"

She nodded timidly, and Therese scanned the list quickly to find her.

"What's your name, sweetie?"

"Rindy."

"Oh, that's a nice name, I like it," Therese said as she ticked off the name; _Rindy Aird._ The only Rindy she'd encountered in the whole school so far.

The toddler's face scrunched. "People say it's weird."

"Well, I like weird names. My name's weird too."

Rindy's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Sure thing. Here, let's get you a seat. Do you like drawing?"

She got everyone settled in rather quickly with the promise of fruit gummies at the end of the day. She assigned each easel a number and got everyone set up with shared cups of paint that were distributed for every two or three kids (watered down, sadly, because she couldn't afford more), and she got them started on painting self-portraits. 

Every student was also covered in an oversized dollar-store t-shirt to protect clothes from paint and Therese herself had a worn down paint shirt that hung down to the middle of her thighs.

The small girl with crazy blonde curls was struggling, trying desperately not to get paint on the shirt. Therese wandered around the easels and when she reached Rindy, the girl was scrunching her face in a frown.

"What's the matter, Rindy? How's your painting going?"

"Don't like it," she murmured. There were only a few stripes of purple and blue on the paper and she held the paintbrush by the furthest end, her small hand not strong enough to control the brushstrokes. 

"Here, try holding the brush like this; it gives a better grip that way," Therese demonstrated, angling the brush and gripping closer to the top.

"But I'll get paint on my hands!"

"That's okay, you're allowed to get paint on your hands. We can alway wash it off."

"But paint on my clothes," Rindy said, not taking back the brush from Therese as she offered it. Therese noted that her paint shirt didn't have a single splatter on it at all. 

"But you haven't got any on your clothes?"

"I don't wanna paint!" Rindy said abruptly, startling Therese. The first grader was close to tears and Therese quickly set the paint aside and moved her to a desk.

"Alright, no worries, Rindy. We can draw with crayons instead, would you like that?"

"Yes," she said, voice small. Therese offered a pink paper; saying how it matched Rindy's shirt and she eagerly began drawing. Therese followed her lead, sitting next to her and drawing with small coloured crayons on a blue piece of paper. She was huddled in a kid-sized chair next to Rindy, making her posture awkward but she didn't move. 

When the clock came close to 5, Therese got the kids to start washing up; giving them a two minute warning so that they'd all have time for gummies, and the class ran off to collect paint cups, brushes and paper.

Rindy helped put the crayons back in order with Therese, and suddenly said,

"My daddy doesn't like it when I get things messy," as she tried to colour code the crayons, until Therese insisted it didn't matter.

"Is that why you didn't want to paint?"

She nodded. "If I get clothes dirty, I did a bad thing."

Therese nodded while knowing full well how hard it was for kids to not get clothes dirty; with play and games it was bound to happen. Did Rindy even play?

"Well, we can always draw with crayons. We've got plenty, and you can use whichever ones you want," Therese said, snapping the lid shut. Rindy's face lit up again and she showed Therese her drawing.

"Is this your family?"

"Yah, but just my mom, cause it's just me and Mommy right now," Rindy said, a pudgy finger pointing at a taller doodle of a blonde woman next to a tiny stick-figure girl of Rindy herself.

"Oh, it's really nice, Rindy, are you gonna show your mom? I'm sure she'll love it."

Rindy grinned and giggled, hugging Therese's arm next to her, "thank you Miss B!"

She had the kids line up, and soon enough parents came by to pick them up, cooing and complimenting their various art projects they took home. Mrs. Morgan stopped by and made smalltalk with a few of the moms and the group began to thin out, leaving only a few kids and their parents.

Therese went back into the room just to examine all possessions had been picked up and she only needed to put things back to normal when Rindy came into the room, practically in hysterics with her backpack swinging behind her. 

"Miss B! Miss B! My drawing, I forgot it!"

"No worries, Rindy. Look, it's right there." She picked up the drawing left on Rindy's desk and crouched down to hand it to the toddler.

"Oh, thank you Miss B!" The girl threw her small arms around Therese's neck, nearly throwing her off-balance. 

"It's a beautiful picture, Rindy. Make sure you don't lose it!"

Pointed clicks of heeled footsteps caught Therese's attention and she looked up to see _Director Ross,_ out of all people, standing in the doorway of the room, staring at the teacher clutching the toddler in her arms. Therese's breath caught as grey eyes met her own.

Paling, Therese let go and stood up quickly, her hands wringing. Was she related to Rindy? Surely not. But she said her mother had come to pick her up.. did Therese really miss that important factor?

"Mommy look!" Rindy squealed, confirming Therese's suspicions. "It's you and me!"

She waved the art above her head, rustling the paper excitedly. Director Ross took and examined it, smiling. 

"It's wonderful, Nerinda. Did you say thank you to your teacher for finding it?"

"I did!"

"Alright. Aunt Abby is just outside, why don't you go show her?"

Rindy flew out of the room with the paper clutched in tiny fists, greeted just out of sight in the hallway by another familiar voice- Miss Gerhard exclaiming " _oh hi there kiddo!"_

The silence was deafening. Therese felt inadequate, the same way she had slumped in Gen's impeccable shadows during closing night. Here she stood, paint splattered on her hands, still wearing the painting shirt over her top and trousers. 

Director Ross on the other hand was wearing a dark brown pencil skirt, and a fitted red blouse that hugged every curve. Her heels made her much taller than Therese remembered- she always wore flats or low heels at rehearsal.

"Hello," she squeaked, feeling bared and exposed. Ross' eyes were unreadable as they stood across from each other. 

"So, it _was_ you- this... new art teacher."

"Uhm, yeah, that's me," Therese mumbled, shifting on her feet. Ross came closer, her perfume taking over Therese's senses.

"I saw your name in the directory, but thought it couldn't possibly be the same girl as Abby's dear photographer from months ago."

 _She remembers me. Dear God._ "Yeah, that's me," Therese said again, stupidly. "I-I mean, yes. I studied art as well as photography, but being a photographer isn't the most... fulfilling job. In terms of money."

"Ah, I see. A struggling artist, then?"

"You could say that."

"Well, I must thank you. Rindy seemed overjoyed just now, she couldn't stop talking about you in the mere minutes when Abby and I arrived."

"Really? Oh, goodness."

"Well, up until she realized her picture was missing."

"Of course, she was very enthusiastic about making it. " Therese replied numbly. "I had no idea you were her mother." The last bit was blurted out and Therese nearly kicked herself for sounding so invasive. Carol only smiled lightly in understanding.

" _Ross_ is my maiden name. Aird is my husband's, and so it's Rindy's as well. I should be down as Carol Aird in the directory, just for the sake of continuity at this school," she ran a hand through her locks, and Therese blinked. _Carol._

"Your husband?"

"Ah, well, ex-husband I should say. We got divorced just last year."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Carol said, her eyes sweeping across the classroom and settling back on Therese's form, clad in the painting shirt that was far too oversized for her. "Your uniform, I take it?"

Therese blushed and hurriedly unbuttoned it, "Well, sort of," she stammered. "So I don't get paint everywhere."

"I see," Carol responded coolly, eyes roving up and down Therese's form, now clad in a nice, professional outfit without a single splatter of paint. "Seems to have worked."

Therese felt like she was about to faint at the implication that Carol just checked her out, but she kept her cool. 

"I'm, uh, looking forward to see Rindy again in this club. She's got a lot of charisma for drawing; that could probably become a talent if she keeps trying."

Carol looked away with a quick shade of guilt passing over her expression. "Ah, well, that. I hadn't intended to keep Rindy in this - _your-_ club at first. I needed her to stay somewhere until Abby and I finished up a last meeting today."

"Oh, right, of course, silly me," Therese shook her head and smiled at Carol, a little defeated. "She's always welcome, of course."

With that, the brunette turned and headed to the desk to pack up the last of her supples.

"It's not that I wouldn't want her here," Carol blurted out. Therese turned to look at her, the only thing giving away Carol's own nerves being the higher tone in her voice. "It's a bit complicated. I'd rather have her home with me- I mean, I didn't mean-,"

"Of course," Therese said again. "It's no problem, Carol, really. It's only a small art club, it's not NYU."

Carol nodded, irritated at herself that she had been on her way to getting through to the brunette and she messed it up herself. 

"But-," Therese piped up. "If you'd _like_ for her to come back, but don't want to miss any time with her, I'm sure you could come help out in the program. If you don't mind getting a bit messy. With paint, that is," she added hastily.

"Really?"

"Sure. Clubs have parent volunteers all the time. You could help me set up," Therese was rambling at this point. "Rindy could paint, and I'd have a better control of the kids that come in here with someone else to help. That is, if you'd like to. There's no issue if you chose not to- only if you didn't want to miss out on things with Rindy, but if Rindy really liked it here-"

A cool hand touched Therese's upper arm, halting her rant. "I'd love to, Therese, really. It sounds wonderful. I haven't been in a classroom setting for years."

"Right, okay," Therese squeaked. "I can talk to registration about it, if you'd like."

"Well, then. That's that," Carol smiled. She gave Therese a teasing wink and left the classroom, breezing out with newly regained confidence.

 _Still got it,_ she thought, as she picked up a chattery Rindy and slung an arm around Abby's middle, heading out to the parking lot. Back in the classroom, Therese continued cleaning up, setting the easels back in place and putting desks in order with a huge grin on her face, humming happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha! They finally meet! Two posts in one day, and stressful for me to finally get around to this bit, but it was fun! Thanks for coming, friends. Carol and Therese will be talking a lot more now ;)
> 
> ALSO WOAH I ALMOST FORGOT thank you so much for over 1k hits and all your lovely comments!!! Both here and on tumblr; you're all amazing and I love you all so much, and thank you for taking the time to read my things. It means the world!


	7. Cloud 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our two ladies gather their bearings after meeting for the first time

_Wednesday night._

"Wh-woah, Therese?" Dannie kicked open the door with a bag of promised snacks in his hands to see the brunette shimmying to a playlist and a glass of wine in hand. She waved at him happily and he brought the bag to her small kitchen space. Therese pulled a beer out of the fridge and tossed it at him.

Dannie gave a playful gasp of surprise, "drinking on a _school night_ , Belivet?"

Therese grinned, her cheeks flushed, "shut up you, it's only one glass."

"You seem a lot giddier than a lady who's only on her first glass, hm?"

"That's cause I was already giddy _before_ I started drinking, idiot!" she laughed and pulled him to the couch, "you are _never_ going to believe what happened today."

"The kids revolted against that Tucker dude and gave you his classroom?"

Therese snorted, "I _wish!_ That'd be amazing."

"Okay, then what?"

She shook her head, "you're not going to believe it, _at all!"_

 _"_ What? Now you have to tell me. "

"...I can't," she realized, groaning into her glass.

"...Seriously."

"Yeah, ah, _fuck,_ I can't tell you. Confidentiality," she said, throwing a hand up in the air, "you know, _privacy,_ students, _whatever._ Fuck."

"Thanks a fuck ton, Belivet," Dannie laughed, "you built all that tension up for nothing? I'm taking your gummies just for that utter betrayal." 

He got up to go to the kitchen and pulled a pack of gummy worms out of the plastic bag meant for Therese. She followed him, but wasn't quick enough until he had stuffed half his mouth with gummies. 

"You're _awful,"_ she whined. Realizing her glass was empty, she left it on the counter and pulled the rest of the shopping bag close to her chest.

"That's what happens when you don't tell your best friend anything!"

"I do _so_ tell you everything," she muttered. "I'm trying to keep my job, alright? It's barely been a week. It's just- well, there's _someone,_ okay? That's all."

"Oh-ho-ho, _someone?_ Like an _attractive_ someone?"

"Hm," Therese blushed and tried to grab the pack from him, but he held it up above his head. 

"So? Got the hots for some parent? A sexy music teacher, perhaps? The janitor?"

" _Dannie!"_

"The art teacher and janitor; what a _love story!"_

Therese stuck her tongue out at him and they went back to the couch. Dannie sat on the floor and leaned back against it, mouth filled with worms. He worked two in to dangle from the edges of his mouth, making silly faces that reminded Therese of their high school days and teenage shenanigans. She hurried to get her camera and snapped a few photos of him.

"God, never mind, those are terrible," she exclaimed as she flicked through them. Dannie worked hard to chew and swallow the worms without choking before he spoke again.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Therese. I'm sure any photos of yours are great."

"What? No, it's not my photography skills that make it terrible, it's the person in the photos, obviously," she cackled. Dannie gave her the middle finger, and she snapped one last picture, a lonely gummy hanging out of his mouth.

* * *

"You'll tell me what happens tomorrow, right, nitwit?" Abby poked Carol's arm as she headed to the front door. She was heading out just as Rindy and Carol set out dinner. Carol rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

"Nothing will _happen_ , Abigail. It's elementary school art. You'll tell me what you decide for the upcoming winter shows, right? I want to hear everything."

"Nuh-uh," Abby retorted, giving her a quick hug and waving bye to Rindy. "I don't want to hear about anything except for school and art teacher updates okay? No more business talks about theatre stats or your job. Seriously, Carol. You're off the hook now. Take a fucking breather."

Carol glared at her, and Abby bit her tongue. "Take a _hecking_ breather, Ross. Enjoy some time with your daughter, some art, some _brunette_ perhaps?"

" _Abigail."_

 _"_ Alright, alright. Text me, okay?"

"Yeah, drive safe."

It was always eerily quiet once Abby left, but Rindy happily filled the void with excited chatter. Carol relaxed as she talked away.

"Can I go back to art club tomorrow, mama?" Rindy asked at the dinner table.

"Of course, sweet pea," Carol answered automatically, so used to giving and letting Rindy have her way. She hesitated around a mouthful of peas and carrots. 

"Rindy, Mommy has to ask you something, if that's alright?"

Rindy nodded happily. 

"Well, if you'd like, you can go to art club every day after school, and make more drawings."

"Yay!"

"But that means you'll be much longer at school, and you won't be home with me as much, understand?" Carol said carefully. Rindy cocked her head and listened quietly. She'd always been a good listener. 

"Anyways, your new teacher-,"

"Miss B!"

"Yes, Miss B," Carol smiled, _Therese_ , "she's asked if I can come to art club as well."

"Really? So you'll draw with me then?"

"Well, not just draw. I have to do teacher jobs, to help Miss B in the classroom. To make it more fun for you and the other kids."

"Okay."

Carol held her breath. "Okay?"

"Yeah!"

She smiled then, grinning at her daughter who barely noticed as she drank from her sippy cup. "Okay." 

It really was that simple, just to ask and see what Rindy would think to see her mother at school. Carol knew if it had been her own mother, she'd be mortified to be associated with her in a classroom. She got up to clear the table and promised a big scoop of ice cream for dessert, to which Rindy cheered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a short chapter! I feel bad for not consistently updating this one, so aaahhhhhhh! Here you go!


	8. Sweet

_Thursday._

Nothing could foul Therese’s good mood today. Not the expired coffee that she had, not the cold and wet morning weather, not her persistent headache. She gladly welcomed it. 

_Go get her tiger,_ Dannie had texted her, making her grin stupidly at her phone. She’d woken far too early, jittery with caffeine, wondering what could get her through the day the fastest before 3pm rolled around.

She decided to spend the day in her darkroom, which was just her smaller, second bathroom storing various chemicals and photographs, with the windows and door taped to block out all light. First, working on her photos from the night before, she snorted at the ridiculous photos of Dannie, stuffing his face with tooth-rotting candy. It was rare she used her film camera, but it had felt like the perfect opportunity as her good mood and confidence were spiking. 

The drizzly rain had disappeared by the time she headed out the door, arms loaded and feeling prepared for the first time this whole week.

* * *

Therese breezed in at 2:56pm, waiting patiently as Mr. Tucker’s class lined up for the bell. Feeling bold, she waved at him. His sour glare only barely dampened her mood. 

A couple of eager kids helped her set up the room the way she liked, distributing easels and pulling out the class’ art folders.

As the class slowly got started and more kids sauntered in, Therese greeted each and every one of them, but her eyes were watching for a blonde. Rindy came in, excited and oblivious to Therese’s nerves about her mother, and took her seat at the front just like yesterday. 

It was 3:17 when Therese worried Carol wasn’t going to come at all, and then hurried footsteps came through the door, heels clicking. In came a flustered Carol, still impeccably dressed, pulling her driving gloves off her hands.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” she sighed, breathless, “traffic was-,”

“It’s alright,” Therese smiled, who couldn’t even imagine feeling angry or disappointed at the sight of her, “here, give me your coat.”

She draped Carol’s coat over her own on the back of her chair at the main desk, fingers trailing over the fabric, and introduced Carol- _Mrs. Aird_ to the class. Many of them recognized her as Rindy’s mom, or the lady who was always at PTA meetings and fundraisers. 

“I didn’t realize you were so famous around the school,” Therese chuckled, her cheeks a bit rosy as they got started. “If I had known, I would have made your introduction a bit more dramatic.”

Carol smiled, running her hand over her deep blue skirt, smoothing the fabric. She wouldn’t want Therese to know her hands had gotten sweaty at the sight of the slim teacher drowning in another painting shirt, beaming when she’d walked in. 

Traffic hadn’t been the issue, not at all. It had been her own racing mind stopping her from getting out the door, wondering if her outfit was okay, wondering if her hair was in place, wondering what Therese would have thought of it.

“You look lovely,” Therese commented, as if reading her thoughts. Carol realized she hadn’t responded to her previous comment, and mentally kicked herself.

“But, you’ll need this,” Therese handed Carol a large, cheap button down like her own. “I wouldn’t want that silk to get paint on it.” 

Carol nearly blushed at Therese’s notice of her blouse’s material. It was such a small detail, she felt flustered and proud that Therese had noticed it. She took the shirt from Therese, slipping it on awkwardly. It felt bulky, but not uncomfortable, and she felt more at ease now that her and Therese were practically matching, and ready to take on any flying paint splatters.

Her safe haven was sitting by Rindy the first day, watching her paint and watching Therese flit about all the other kids. She’d never been this speechless around any women before, not Abby, not any other flirty opportunity she’d had over the years. 

The rest of the afternoon went by quite quickly and quite uneventfully. A few kids kept asking questions, and Therese took every opportunity to help and guide them. Part of her was nervous to have a moment to breathe and then be faced with the hawk-eyed blonde sitting in one of the ridiculously small chairs. 

But once she looked at Carol, _really_ looked at her, she realized how nervous the _both_ of them were. Her face was neutral and stoic, but her toes tapped on the ground, her legs shyly pressed together as she hunched over her daughter, laughing and smiling. 

This was _her_ classroom, Therese realized, subconsciously puffing her chest; and no one, not even the adults, should feel uncomfortable in her classroom. 

So, she approached Carol with a spare easel in her hands, and paper in the other. 

“I see one person who isn’t doing our daily art task, isn’t that right Rindy?” Therese addressed the young girl, but was looking at Carol, who glanced away and willed herself not to blush.

“I wouldn’t know what to do with a paintbrush, Ms. Belivet,” Carol confessed. “Rindy is the artistic one at home.”

“Oh, I don’t believe that. Rindy, why don’t you show your mom how to paint?” Therese asked, setting the easel in front of the older woman, who began protesting but realized quickly it wasn’t going to get her anywhere.

Therese grabbel a brush from Rindy’s tiny water cup and pressed it in Carol’s hand. Their fingers were clasped for a split second before Therese stepped back, breaking the spell.

“I wouldn’t know what to draw!” Carol exclaimed.

“Just do as I do, Mommy,” Rindy said, with a tone of adorable frustration, like it was the easiest thing in the world. Therese giggled behind a hand clasped over her face and left the mother-daughter duo to paint together, feeling triumphant.

-

As the kids began filing out at 5, Mrs. Morgan had stopped by, checking in with Therese, and delighted to see Carol with them. Small talk between the three women left them being the last ones in the room, Rindy fidgeting in her chair, waiting for her mom to be done. 

Carol was about to leave with Rindy’s hands in hers when she eyed the young teacher stuffing her things in her bag, the classroom drearily empty all of a sudden. She didn’t see or hear the familiar jangle of car keys anywhere near Therese. 

“You have a ride?” she inquired, hoping she sounded as nonchalant as possible.

“Oh, yes, I usually get a cab,” Therese said, picking at a dry patch of paint on the back of her hand. 

That clearly didn’t satisfy Carol, because she took a step back in the room and said, “Let us drive you home. It’s the least I can do.”

“It’s no problem, Mrs. Aird, you don’t have to worry about me,” Therese tried to wave her offer away. Carol wouldn't have it, tutting and walking back towards Therese. 

”Nonsense. Here, I’ll help you carry some things.”

That’s that. Carol picked up one of the heavier bags with ease and held Rindy’s hand in the other. Therese watched her, a bit startled at her forwardness. The art teacher supposed she had no other choice but to follow. Her eyes were drawn to the way Carol’s calf muscles tightened as she marched confidently to the parking lot, and she nearly tripped.

“Seatbelts on,” Carol ordered as they slid into their seats. “You can put in your address on the GPS, Therese. Here.”

She pushed a few buttons and the dashboard screen lit up. Therese carefully put in her address, wondering if Carol knew the area, wondering if she judged how and where Therese lived.

“Oh! I know that neighbourhood.. lovely place. Do you live in that apartment building there then?”

“Y-yes,” Therese stammered. 

“There’s an ice cream shop just down the street there where we go sometimes, isn’t there, sweet pea?” Carol turned to glance at her daughter, who was fidgeting with a spare crayon in her hands. 

Rindy shrieked with excitement, and began demanding they get ice cream for Miss B. 

“I suppose you’re trapped in the car, so you don’t really get a say, hm?” Carol’s eyes twinkled mischievously at Therese, who sucked in a breath. 

“Really, Miss Ross,” Therese blushed but found her courage, “dessert before dinnertime?”

Carol looked at her, and for a second Therese thought she overstepped, before the blonde tipped her head back and laughed. Rindy joined in, not knowing why her mother was laughing, but excited nonetheless.

Carol was still chuckling by the time they pulled out of the parking lot, and Therese felt a sense of pride beaming in her chest.

It was barely warm enough to enjoy ice cream, but they huddled back in the car with their sweets and ate away in the nearest parking lot, a minute down the street from Therese’s home.

Rindy was bombarding Therese with stories and questions, and Therese answered happily. She noticed how Carol had ample opportunity to stop their conversations and go to drop her off, but didn’t. Her belly swirled with butterflies at the thought.

So she kept talking with Rindy, kept talking with Carol, enjoying her cherry ice cream in her sprinkled waffle cone like she was eight years old again. 

“I suppose I should eventually drop you off, shouldn't I?” Carol asked after their ice cream was gone. Rindy was drowsy in the backseat, and the sky was darkening slightly.

“Oh, of course, yes,” Therese nodded, hiding her disappointment. “I’m sorry for keeping you.”

“You’re not keeping me from anything, darling,” Carol said as she pulled out the parking lot again. Theres blushed. “It’s just that this one needs to get home for her afternoon nap.”

“Right, no, you’re right,” Therese shot a glance at Rindy, sleeping quietly. “She seems exhausted.”

There was a pause and Therese looked back to questioningly meet Carol’s gaze. Her grey eyes shimmered with delight.

“I meant myself, Therese.”

“Oh!” Therese went red. Carol threw her head back and laughed. 

“When you get to be my age, one restless night can throw off your whole day,” Carol pointed out as they neared Therese’s apartment building.

_She didn’t sleep well last night,_ Therese noted. She wanted to ask if she was alright, if there was anything she could do, if there was anything at all she needed, but instead,

“I hope a giggling group of toddlers didn’t make it worse.”

“Not at all, it was lovely,” Carol smiled. 

“You’re welcome back any time. In fact, since you know the school so well, if you have any ideas for the class, we can definitely try to make something of it. Lord knows I barely know what happens around Frankenberg’s.”

“That’s just because you’re new, sweetheart,” Therese blushed again at the endearment, cursing her body for reacting so quickly, and looked out the window. Carol, thankfully, kept her eyes on the road. “You’ll get used to it in no time. I see you’ve met Claire already.”

“Mrs. Morgan? She’s a saint. It’s nice to have some allies,” she said, thinking of Mr. Tucker and his brutish behaviour.

Carol hummed in agreement and pulled up as close to the front door as she could. 

There was a buzz in the air between them. Therese didn’t want to get out, Carol didn’t make her get out. The blonde glanced at her daughter in the backseat, busied herself with her gloves. 

“Thank you for the ride,” Therese squeaked as she unbuckled herself, keeping her eyes down. “It’s nice to see a familiar face at the school. I owe you one.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Therese,” Carol said.

“No, no I do,” if there was one thing Therese couldn’t stand, it was feeling like she owed people. “At least for the ice cream.”

“I suppose you’ll have to make up for it next time,” Carol teased. 

_Next time._ Therese looked over at the driver by her side just as she opened the passenger door. Carol looked bacn her, with an unasked question between them. Something daring, something shy, something _hopeful_.

“Next time,” Therese beamed.

She hurried quietly out the car as to not wake Rindy and went to the front door. Only when she was stepping inside did she turn back to see Carol waiting in the car, watching her.

She raised a bashful hand to wave goodbye, and Carol sent her the most brilliant smile that blew all the cobwebs out of Therese’s dreary life, before the car revved and headed down the street. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D


End file.
